Single mother can’t find work

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Harmonie Walker, 6 months, of Jamaica Plain, met Globe Santa for the first time at Copley Place.

By Christopher Tangney
Globe Correspondent
November 24, 2012

For many of the parents and guardians who write Globe Santa for help, their request is a last resort. Having done all they can to stay afloat in hard times — but knowing there is no money left for Christmas gifts — they reach out for a lifeline.

“I’m writing to you because I’m hoping that you can give my almost 3-year-old-twins the Christmas they deserve . . . that I, as their mother, can’t do without your help,” read the letter from a single mother. “They’ve been through a lot, especially recently.”

Her twins, a son and a daughter, have been though the tumult of moving out of their apartment and back to her parents’ house, the mother wrote, after her relationship with their father fell apart. She’s quick to give thanks for having a safe place to go to and says there are brighter days ahead, but her son and daughter know only that they miss their dad.

What’s more, she wrote, her son has shown signs of developmental issues and was recently diagnosed with a developmental disorder, and is displaying behaviors and other indicators commonly associated with autism. The boy’s struggles have taken a toll on the whole family.

“It’s not only been hard on him, but his sister has had to, on many occasions, take a step back so he can get the attention he needs,” she wrote. “She’s so wonderful about it all. There really is something to be said about ‘twinship.’ ”

The children’s mother is looking for work, but despite recent improvements in the job market, she has yet to find a full-time job. And the $600 a month she receives in child support goes straight to their rent, household utilities, and essentials such as diapers, she wrote. While she is proud to provide her twins with a loving family, warm house, and food on the table, she wants them to experience the joy of Christmas.

“They also deserve a day when they can come down the stairs, faces lighting up as they see what all kids dream about!” she wrote. “They deserve that feeling you get when you see all the presents Santa brought, and you realize it’s a reward for being such a good girl or boy! That feeling is indescribable.”

‘They’ve been through a lot, especially recently.’

Like so many of those who ask for a visit from Globe Santa, the mother finished her letter with a note of gratitude.

“Thank you so much for your time, as well as possibly helping me give my kids not only a special day but also helping create a wonderful memory that they’ll have for years to come,” she wrote.

Her twins will be among the tens of thousands of children who receive a visit from Globe Santa this year, thanks to the generosity of individuals, groups, and local businesses that donate to the fund drive.

The Boston Globe Foundation pays all of the administrative costs associated with the fund drive, so 100 percent of the money donated to Globe Santa is used to buy and deliver presents to children.

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